As Mohamed Salah continues to interrupt information and set his sights on extra, hypothesis over the way forward for Liverpool’s No. 11 is just like that seen thirty years in the past.
Of all of the statistics to emerge from Liverpool’s record-breaking 7-0 win at Crystal Palace, my favorite was the Reds’ seventh purpose being the 600th scored beneath Jurgen Klopp‘s administration.
600 objectives. Since October 2015. And it solely took 288 video games, 10 lower than the earlier membership report of 600 objectives in Sir Kenny Dalglish’s first 298 video games in cost.
In contrast to Dalglish, Klopp didn’t rating any of these objectives himself, nor did he inherit a aspect that had simply misplaced the European Cup ultimate having gained a treble of league, European Cup and League Cup a yr earlier.
Not that I’m making an attempt to detract something from what King Kenny achieved. He gained the double in his first season as player-manager after which misplaced his greatest two attacking gamers – Ian Rush to Juventus and himself to his age – earlier than constructing an excellent higher aspect in 1987/88.
Unquestionably, one of the best participant in that ‘Higher than the Brazilians’ staff was John Barnes. FWA Footballer of the Yr and PFA Participant of the Yr, Barnes scored 17 objectives – and supplied 18 assists – that season. And he adopted it up with one other 60 objectives and 43 assists throughout the subsequent three campaigns.
Maintain the abacus, I make that 77 objectives and 61 assists throughout Barnes’ first 4 years (and 182 appearances) in a crimson shirt. Even on the times he didn’t rating or create, he was an absolute pleasure to observe, and a wished man on the continent with speak {that a} world-record switch price of £6 million – a 3rd of what Sheffield United needed to pay for Rhian Brewster today – could be sufficient to prise him away from Anfield.
“I’ll battle to maintain John Barnes right here,” stated Noel White when appointed as LFC chairman after the Reds gained their 18th league title in 1989/90. “He’s the most popular property in world soccer – and we’ll give full consideration to no matter calls for he needs.”
Even the shortage of social media couldn’t forestall a ‘will he keep or will he go’ saga. “Liverpool are able to make John Barnes Britain’s highest-paid participant by providing him a staggering £8,000-a-week to remain at Anfield,” reported the Every day Specific in December 1990.
“The Barnes deal would give him virtually £2,000-a-week greater than Gary Lineker, beforehand thought to be Britain’s best-paid footballer, and would dwarf the £5,000 weekly pay bundle of his boss Dalglish. The champions have already rebuffed strikes for Barnes by Actual Madrid, Genoa and Marseille.”
Sure, that did say Genoa, and in case you’re questioning they completed fourth in 1990/91 with Carlos Aguilera and Thomas Skuhravy up entrance whereas metropolis rivals Sampdoria, led by strikeforce Gianluca Vialli and Roberto Mancini, gained their first-ever title. In addition they beat Liverpool residence and away within the UEFA Cup quarter-final in 1992.
As you nicely know, Barnes signed a brand new deal to remain put, however the Achilles tendon damage he suffered whereas taking part in for England (some issues by no means change, eh?) in opposition to Finland in 1992 robbed him of his electrifying tempo.
After recovering he was subsequently despatched out to pasture in central midfield whereas younger whippersnappers resembling Steve McManaman, Mike Marsh, Jamie Redknapp and Don Hutchison did his working till he shaped a superb partnership with Michael Thomas.
Thirty years on and it seems like historical past is repeating itself slightly with Mo Salah. Since signing for the Redmen in 2017, Salah has been each bit pretty much as good as Barnes was in his first 4 seasons on the membership, if not higher.
Now there’s speak of whether or not he’ll signal a brand new contract or transfer to the continent – if anybody can really go away the nation ever once more.
Salah’s numbers are unimaginable: 110 objectives and 42 assists in 173 video games. He hardly ever misses a recreation by means of damage, isn’t practically as egocentric as among the perceptions about him recommend and is the consummate skilled.
Catching coronavirus at his brother’s wedding ceremony is the wildest factor he’s carried out aside from beat his daughter at chess, after which rumours instructed that his rooks don’t get on with the bishops.
However what subsequent? Salah is 28 now, in his prime. Is he right here for the lengthy haul, or will he come to the identical conclusion that 29-year-old Thiago did at Bayern Munich in the summertime and determine he’s prepared for a brand new problem elsewhere?
When Salah stated he wished to interrupt “each report” at Liverpool in his latest interview with AS that has led to hypothesis over his future, I believed him. He’s massively motivated by numbers.
After scoring his one hundredth purpose for the membership in opposition to Everton in October (in his 159th look), a journalist excitedly instructed Mo that solely two males – Jack Parkinson and Roger Hunt – had reached the tally faster.
The journalist was anticipating a reply alongside the strains of ‘I’m so pleased with this’, but Salah’s quick response was “I want I might have been the quickest one.” It completely summed up his mentality; be one of the best, be primary, accept nothing much less.
He’s formidable for collective and particular person success, however genuinely believes the primary results in the latter. When you ever learn he would transfer to a membership solely for monetary acquire, it’s a lie. He needs to win above all else.
His two objectives at Palace put him joint-14th on Liverpool’s all-time main scorer listing with 110. One other 20 objectives takes Salah into the highest 10 and of the 13 gamers above him, all however two – Parkinson (219) and Sam Raybould (226) made between 288 and 710 appearances for the membership.
Salah will make his 174th in opposition to West Brom at Anfield. He’s forward of these he’s chasing on ratios.
In fact, different numbers come into it. At 28, and nonetheless with two-and-a-half years left on his present contract at Liverpool, the subsequent deal he indicators must be his most profitable. The stats recommend he is without doubt one of the greatest on this planet and he must be paid accordingly.
If the chance of experiencing a brand new, better-paid life-style in Spain is on the desk will Salah wish to head to Barcelona or Madrid? Sure, each have had higher days than these at current, however everyone knows how rapidly issues can change in soccer.
Or, realizing how extremely Jurgen Klopp regards him and that the supervisor himself is dedicated to managing Liverpool till 2024, is a two-year contract extension till 2025 – that means the membership would most likely attempt to promote him in the summertime of 2024 when he turns 32 – an angle Mo’s agent is working in order that his shopper can earn extra whereas he pursues extra trophies and information?
In fact, FSG’s coverage on w(age)s additionally comes into the combination – and no one must be kidding themselves that the continued coronavirus pandemic isn’t going to end in even golf equipment like Liverpool taking a whopping monetary hit – however it appears to be the case now that if Klopp needs a participant to be signed, offered or keep, the board discover a technique to make it occur.
And if you’re speaking a few participant who has scored 110 and created 42 of the 600 objectives netted by Liverpool beneath Jurgen Klopp‘s administration, I reckon they are going to be requested to discover a technique to make it occur and provides Mo Salah the chance to rewrite the report books time and again.
* Chris McLoughlin is Senior Author for Attain Sport, publishers of the Liverpool Matchday Programme. You possibly can order a replica of the Liverpool vs. West Brom programme or subscribe right here.